The Russian River drains the
sparsely populated, forested coastal area that stretches from San
Francisco to the Oregon border.
Along the Russian, federally funded dams have created Lake
Mendocino (at the Coyote Dam) and Lake Sonoma (Warm Springs Dam).
Locally built aqueducts channel water from these lakes into
growing Marin and Sonoma counties.
The Russian River is one of the most flood-prone rivers in
California, routinely overflowing during wet years. As storm
systems approach California, the wet bands of clouds are uplifted
by the Coast Range, releasing precipitation first and most
intensely on the coastal streams. One flood control dam is on the
Russian River and one on Dry Creek, a tributary to the Russian
River, which can capture about 20 percent of flood flows.
In addition to flooding issues, the Russian River faces other
challenges to balance competing demands for its water. In an area
that was once legacy to massive numbers of salmon and steelhead,
restoring the fishery has been a key focus, while water providers
must accommodate municipal needs as well as those of grape
growers in one of the world’s most prized wine-producing regions.
Since CalTrout’s inception 50 years ago, we have worked
tirelessly to protect and restore the Eel River. This
remarkable river, the third largest in California, holds
immense potential to recover a harvestable population of wild
salmon. These salmon have long served as an economic driver on
the North Coast and have been vital to the communities that
have lived near the river for thousands of years. As
PG&E moves forward with its plans to remove Scott and Cape
Horn dams as part of its decommissioning of the Potter Valley
Hydroelectric Project, here are six things to know about how
and why this is happening.
Six years after first announcing plans to walk away from
the Potter Valley Project, Pacific Gas
and Electric Company has finally revealed the staggering price
tag for dismantling the century-old hydroelectric facility:
$532 million. That’s the estimated cost PG&E submitted to
state regulators on May 15, a half-billion-dollar teardown that
will be funded by PG&E customers, many of whom also risk
losing the year-round water supply the system delivers to
600,000 people across Northern
California. … Now, with the Potter Valley Project
slated for removal, a replacement is already on the drawing
board. The New Eel-Russian Facility, led by
the Eel-Russian Project Authority, commonly referred to as
ERPA, would be built near Cape Horn Dam to keep water flowing
while restoring the Eel River’s natural processes.
At its May 8 meeting, the Mendocino County Inland Water and
Power Commission (IWPC) focused once again on PG&E’s
planned withdrawal from the Potter Valley Project and the
region’s efforts to secure long-term water supplies. Central to
the discussion was the New Eel Russian Facility (NERF), a
proposed infrastructure project that would maintain Eel River
water diversions into the Russian River after PG&E’s exit.
The IWPC, a joint powers authority composed of five local
agencies—the County of Mendocino, the Redwood Valley County
Water District, the City of Ukiah, the Potter Valley Irrigation
District, and the Russian River Flood Control and Water
Conservation Improvement District—continues to work in
partnership with Sonoma County and Sonoma Water through the Eel
Russian Project Authority (ERPA). ERPA is leading negotiations
with PG&E and planning for the construction of NERF.
At its next regular meeting Wednesday, the Ukiah City Council
is expected to consider approving the contribution of another
$84,000 to another local entity for ongoing work related to the
Potter Valley Project. According to a staff report on the item
prepared for the May 7 meeting, the City Council will be asked
to approve a “financial contribution in the amount of $84,000
to the (Mendocino County) Inland Water and Power Commission for
consulting and legal services related to the Potter Valley
Project, and approve a corresponding budget amendment.”
… In an effort to continue the diversions in some form,
(Ukiah City Council administrative analyst Seth) Strader notes
that the IWPC, along with “the Round Valley Indian Tribes and
the Sonoma County Water Agency have submitted a proposal to
advance a regional solution for preserving flows in the Russian
River and improving Eel River fisheries.
Despite pleas from leaders of regional farm bureaus, Lake
County and communities including Cloverdale and Lake Pillsbury,
President Donald Trump’s administration says it has no
intention of assuming control of the Potter Valley
hydroelectric power plant that’s slated for decommissioning by
PG&E. The decommissioning, if approved, is likely at least
a decade away and would involve tearing down the Cape Horn Dam
in Mendocino County and Scott Dam in Lake County. This would
alter the flow of the Eel River to the Russian River, with a
new multimillion-dollar diversion facility routing water from
both the Eel and Russian watersheds to Marin, Sonoma, Lake and
Mendocino counties. Many North Coast elected officials and
residents strongly oppose the plan, insisting it might not
provide the four counties with enough water ― especially during
dry, summer months punctuated by fire risk.
Many of California’s watersheds are
notoriously flashy – swerving from below-average flows to jarring
flood conditions in quick order. The state needs all the water it
can get from storms, but current flood management guidelines are
strict and unyielding, requiring reservoirs to dump water each
winter to make space for flood flows that may not come.
However, new tools and operating methods are emerging that could
lead the way to a redefined system that improves both water
supply and flood protection capabilities.
California is chock full of rivers and creeks, yet the state’s network of stream gauges has significant gaps that limit real-time tracking of how much water is flowing downstream, information that is vital for flood protection, forecasting water supplies and knowing what the future might bring.
That network of stream gauges got a big boost Sept. 30 with the signing of SB 19. Authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), the law requires the state to develop a stream gauge deployment plan, focusing on reactivating existing gauges that have been offline for lack of funding and other reasons. Nearly half of California’s stream gauges are dormant.
This 25-minute documentary-style DVD, developed in partnership
with the California Department of Water Resources, provides an
excellent overview of climate change and how it is already
affecting California. The DVD also explains what scientists
anticipate in the future related to sea level rise and
precipitation/runoff changes and explores the efforts that are
underway to plan and adapt to climate.
A new look for our most popular product! And it’s the perfect
gift for the water wonk in your life.
Our 24×36-inch California Water Map is widely known for being the
definitive poster that shows the integral role water plays in the
state. On this updated version, it is easier to see California’s
natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts
– including federally, state and locally funded
projects – the wild and scenic rivers system, and
natural lakes. The map features beautiful photos of
California’s natural environment, rivers, water projects,
wildlife, and urban and agricultural uses and the
text focuses on key issues: water supply, water use, water
projects, the Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado
River.
The Russian River is one of the major northern streams that drain
the sparsely populated, forested coastal area that stretches from
San Francisco to the Oregon border.
Other North Coast waterways include the Klamath, Trinity, Eel and
Smith [see also North
Coast Rivers]. These rivers and their tributaries flow west
to the Pacific Ocean and account for about 40 percent of the
state’s total runoff.
Travel most anywhere in California and there is a river, creek or
stream nearby. Some are highly noticeable and are an integral
part of the community. Others are more obscure, with intermittent
flows or enclosed by boxed concrete flood channels that conceal
their true appearance. No matter the location, each area shares
some common themes: cooperation and conflict regarding water
allocations, greater water conservation, an awareness of
environmental stewardship, and plans that ensure long-term
sustainability.
This printed issue of Western Water examines the Russian and
Santa Ana rivers – areas with ongoing issues not dissimilar to
the rest of the state – managing supplies within a lingering
drought, improving water quality and revitalizing and restoring
the vestiges of the native past.
